Good morning, 4-D nation!

I am Adam Zachary, your friendly neighborhood weather

forecaster.

We all know that weather is the state of the atmosphere at a specific time and location. It
describes the degree to which an area is hot or cold, wet or dry, or clear or cloudy, for example.

The way different weather elements behave determines the type of weather we are experiencing. Wind
carries moisture into an atmosphere, as well as hot or cold air into a climate, which affects weather
patterns. Temperature and air pressure cause the wind to shift direction. Thus, a change in wind results
in a change of weather.

The primary types of weather that can occur are: sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy, and
windy.

*The weather is sunny when there are few or no clouds blocking the sunlight and the temperature is
warm.

*The weather is cloudy when there are lots of clouds in the sky that get in the way of the sun. Cloudy
days can be cold if there is not much sunlight, but they can also be warm if there is lots of humidity.

*Rainy weather happens when there are large clouds in the sky that produce rain. Cloudy days can
become rainy days if the clouds get large enough and there is a lot of precipitation.

*Snowy days happen in winter, when precipitation falls as snow instead of rain.

*Windy weather is characterized by strong winds blowing at high speed, often causing lightning and
thunderstorms.

When water vapor, an invisible gas, turns into liquid water droplets, clouds are formed. These
water droplets form on tiny particles that are floating in the air. The primary types of clouds are:
cumulus, cirrus, stratus, and nimbus.

*Cumulus clouds look like white, fluffy cotton balls. They develop on clear, sunny days.

*Cirrus are thin, white strands of clouds that streak across the sky. Like cumulus clouds, cirrus clouds
typically occur in fair weather.
*Stratus clouds are usually broad and widespread, appearing like a blanket. They are seen on dreary,
overcast days and are associated with light mist or drizzle.

*Coming from the Latin word for "rain", nimbus clouds are dark and gray, and thick enough to block out
the sun. They are where the vast majority of precipitation occurs from, producing persistent rain.

Last month, we spent a week observing what the weather was like in our place of residence - Pasig City.
To check how much the weather changes daily, we had to monitor it at the same exact time every day.
Since we were all busy at school every morning, I chose a time when everyone has already gone home
and finished eating lunch, so I picked 2 P.M. as my point of reference.

I started my observation last March 15. That afternoon, the sky was littered with some gray-colored
clouds. At first, I thought that rain would fall but it never did. So I categorized that day as "partly cloudy"
with "cumulonimbus" clouds.

Since the summer season has already started in our country, it did not surprise me that for the next 6
days (March 16-21), the types of weather and clouds we experienced were all similar. The sky was filled
with clouds that appeared thin and hair-like. The sun also shone brightly, which brought us some
scorching-hot temperatures. Because of that, I categorized those days as "sunny" with "cirrus" clouds.

Weather affects our lives on a daily basis. This can be as simple as influencing the clothes we choose to
wear, or the activities we do. If the weather is fine, I can do more outdoor activities. But when it isn’t, I
have to do more home-based activities to keep me safe and dry. You wouldn’t go to the beach in a
swimsuit when it’s raining or snowing, right?

That is why we need to be prepared for all types of weather. I strongly recommend everyone to
regularly monitor the weather report of PAGASA, the government agency dedicated to forecasting our
country's weather, so that we can plan our activities based on the weather report for the day or the
entire week.

Once again, this is Adam Zachary. Always remember that:

You don't always need sunshine for the

weather to be beautiful.